An ongoing controversy over Kerala’s diplomatic channel gold smuggling case shifted its focus suddenly to a high-profile non-governmental organisation named Highrange Rural Development Society (HRDS) India when it hired and fired Swapna Suresh (in picture), one of the key accused in the case, within a few months.
At no time in its 25-year history has the HRDS been much under the spotlight than when it hired Ms. Swapna in February this year. Since then, the Thodupuzha-based NGO has frequently been in news.
Many times it denied the allegations that it was a body meant to cover the Sangh Parivar interests. Yet, some of its top functionaries have close links with the Sangh Parivar and the BJP. The circumstances that led to the hiring of Ms. Swapna and the days that followed raised questions about the role of the Sangh in placing her with the HRDS.
